Line-object menu, map editor

[Scrapper_511]

In the objects menu of the map editor, the buttons for line objects have selectors at each corner of their buttons. What are they for? I've asked a similar question before (I searched to no avail) but I think it just covered two functions, not four. Thanks in advance...

[Ssnake]

There are different editing modes; you may want to experiment with a blank map and a handful of sample roads. Starting at the top left, clockwise:

1. box hides all (line) objects/roads. This can be useful if you want to deal with buildings or other vector objects, and prevent the road network from accidental click & drag movement
2. box locks (line) objects against the "Select" tool. This lets you use the lasso or other multi-select functions without having to worry that you might accidentally edit/delete/alter the "perfect" line object(s) in the vicinity.
3. box protects the object category against the lasso function. You may still click an object and edit it, but if you want to grab all buildings but none of the walls (or roads) between them, the lower right masking button is made for you
4. box (lower left) lets you edit vertices of the selected object, but you can't accidentally shift its position as a whole.

[Scrapper_511]

Handy features, thank you. I couldn’t find this info in the latest manual nor in SB Wiki. There are other editor functions/shortcuts I need to look up again also and that’s a matter of scouring whichever readme (and prior inquiries here). Hopefully all this information will be consolidated in the new printed manual. 🤞

[Ssnake]

Yes, page 171.

[Scrapper_511]

1 hour ago, Ssnake said:

Yes, page 171.

Most excellent. C’mon hi-res terrain, get here already! 😄

[delta6]

how do I put trees roads etc on the map??

[Bond_Villian]

I havent installed the new version yet, but i would be surprised if you dont still use the MAP EDITOR (!) for that kind of thing

[Ssnake]

If you're opening a map and you can't edit it because all the controls are greyed out, that's a feature. You need to save the existing map package as a new delta map, at which point the tools can be used again. Published maps cannot be edited anymore, ever, that's why we make a distinction between them, and unpublished maps.

[Gibsonm]

1 hour ago, Bond_Villian said:

I havent installed the new version yet, but i would be surprised if you dont still use the MAP EDITOR (!) for that kind of thing

 

I too was going to say something "funny" but then I looked:

 

 

There don't appear to be any active choices on the right hand side.

 

Edited July 30, 2019 by Gibsonm

[Gibsonm]

5 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

If you're opening a map and you can't edit it because all the controls are greyed out, that's a feature. You need to save the existing map package as a new delta map, at which point the tools can be used again. Published maps cannot be edited anymore, ever, that's why we make a distinction between them, and unpublished maps.

Right, so the first step is to save the "blank" map before you can do anything?

 

No more sandbox, "what would this look like?" type creations to view on the fly with no intention to save?

 

Edited July 30, 2019 by Gibsonm

[Ssnake]

Since the blank map is often used for our (internal, automated) unit tests we made it immutable, yes. But you can simply save it as a delta map, call it "My Sandbox" or whatever you like, and then experiment with that to your heart's content. You don't even have to publish it, ever, as long as you're happy to play scenarios that are based on it only in test mode.

[Retro]

3 hours ago, Gibsonm said:

Right, so the first step is to save the "blank" map before you can do anything?

 

No more sandbox, "what would this look like?" type creations to view on the fly with no intention to save?

 

Yes that was sadly not possible any more (within the restrictions of the old architecture) as some of the possible 'I'm just playing around' modifications (levelling roads for example) could consume huge chunks of resources that would require use to persists some of the data (plus other even more technical stuff). It's definately a feature I'd like to get back at some point!

[thewood]

I don't understand.  Why is the "sandbox" save an issue?  Its how I have always played around with like this.  I never play on the default map as a sandbox.  Too many chances to save by accident.  I am sure I'm missing something here.

[Gibsonm]

6 hours ago, thewood said:

I don't understand.  Why is the "sandbox" save an issue?  Its how I have always played around with like this.  I never play on the default map as a sandbox.  Too many chances to save by accident.  I am sure I'm missing something here.

Its not an "issue" per se.

 

Before you could create something on a blank map (no risk of saving as you need to choose to save) and hit F1 to see what it looked like e.g. what does a patch of these trees look like.

 

e.g.

 

It was:

 

Open Map Editor

click a few things

hit F1

Not save changes when you exit

 

Now its:

 

Open Map Editor

Save Map

click a few things

hit F1

Exit

Find the map and Delete it

[Ssnake]

Then again, at least we added a file browsing function with delete button.

Also, you can choose to "not delete" the map. After hitting F1 and you found out what you wanted to know you can "undo" most changes, delete the rest, and keep that map as your future test bed. Or you keep your changes and try out your stuff in a different place next time. There's 1600km², after all.